WITH THE BELLE OF LOUISVILLE'S CENTENNIAL. A NEW CONFERENCE IN LOUISVILLE AIMS AT URBAN RENEWAL AND UPLIFTING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. W-L-K-Y'S MARK VANDERHOFF WENT TO THE HOPE CONFERENCE, WHICH DREW SOME NATIONALLY KNOWN AUTHORS AND ACTIVISTS. HOPE. THAT STANDS FOR HAVING ONLY POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS, AND THAT'S THE NAME OF A NEW CONFERENCE IN LOUISVILLE. THEIR 2014 THEME - RENEWING URBAN AMERICA. SOT rev. Kevin cosby: I love my city and I want positive change to take place. And I want our city to be a model for the rest of the nation of how we can change our cities and change our nation. SIMMONS COLLEGE AND ST. STEPHEN CHURCH ARE HOSTING THE CONFERENCE, WHICH RUNS THROUGH SATURDAY. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO KEYNOTE SPEAKERS... ATTENDING WORKSHOPS... AND NETWORKING. jimmy houseal: I think if an ordinary person has the proper resources and can form the proper network, then they can do extraordinary things. THE WORKSHOPS HAVE THEMES SUCH AS "INNER CITY LEMONADE: HOW TO TRANSFORM URBAN ECONOMICS." ivy brito: I think that everybody here can make an impact. Even if it's just one person. That person will reach out to another person. THE ROSTER OF SPEAKERS DRAWS FROM ACROSS THE NATION. SHERYLL CASHIN IS AN AUTHOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW PROFESSOR AND A FORMER CLINTON WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR. sheryll cashin: it's fantastic. I am so inspired to see this church bringing people from around the country, of all races and walks of life together around the idea of hope and renewal. THE CONFERENCE'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ROBERT HARVEY, HOPES THE CONFERENCE WILL HELP GENERATE NEW IDEAS. robert harvey: we want people to go home believing there are practical strategies and there actually is hope for urban america. We want people to walk away believing it might not look the best right now, situations may not be what they need to be... robert harvey: ...but regardless of those statistics, there's still hope for urban America to rise again and have a resurgence. ORGANIZERS SAY THEY HOPE THIS CONFERENCE WILL ONE DAY BE HELD IN CITIES ALL OVER THE U.S. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, YOU CAN STILL REGISTER AT THE CONFERENCE. IT CONTINUES TOMORROW AND SATURDAY AT SAINT STEPHEN'S CHURCH ON SOUTH FIFTEENTH STREET.